Rueben Martinez: 'It's not going to be one cabeza'

Rueben Martinez poses with his likeness, which takes his place when he's unable to attend an event. His Librer&#237;a Mart&#237;nez Books and Art Gallery in Santa Ana is becoming Librer&#237;a Mart&#237;nez de Chapman University, a nonprofit bookstore and educational center focused on learning and literacy, the university announced.CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

“I like books that smell like paper, wood, like lumber, like a tree, man. Books were my life growing up. And books will be my life forever.”

“Families that read together, graduate together.”

“Books have taken me to every state in the union.”

“A book is dead until you open it up,” Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes told him. “And then it comes alive.”

The Chapman University connection

Chapman’s Latino enrollment: 13 percent of 7,000 undergraduate, graduate and law school students. In 2006, it was 11 percent.

Librería Martínez de Chapman University: The store, at 216 N. Broadway in Santa Ana, is closed for remodeling, but will hold its grand re-opening on Oct. 27.

SANTA ANA – Rueben Martinez, the Santa Ana barber who created a new life through a love of books and reading, is entering a new phase of life.

Librería Martínez Books and Art Gallery has become Librería Martínez de Chapman University, a nonprofit bookstore and educational center focused on learning and literacy, the university announced recently.

Martinez, 72, opened his first Santa Ana shop in 1975, across the street from his store's current location. In 1993, he began selling books he would buy in Tijuana for Spanish-speaking customers, and in 1996 he launched Librería Martínez on Main Street, moving the operation to its Broadway site about three years ago.

It has drawn big-name authors such as Jorge Ramos, the late Carlos Fuentes and Sandra Cisneros, as well as international attention, but like a lot of retail bookstores, it has struggled, too.

Martinez, a presidential fellow, has been working for Chapman University for about three years. Born into a family of copper miners in Miami, Ariz., he recruits first-generation students. He has donated the contents of his store to the new endeavor – more than 7,000 books. Chapman's College of Educational Studies will raise funds to cover the costs of operating Libreria Martinez, relying on sales, grants and donations.

"It is a matter of social entrepreneurship. For this initiative to work, it must be a community effort," said Don Cardinal, dean of Chapman's College of Educational Studies, who spearheaded the effort. "We have faith that the community will help support this effort, and donors will see the value of a community business helping support the needs of the local community."

Martinez tells us about the change, and what it means for the community, and himself.

How did your partnership with Chapman come about?

They came to me. It was their idea, because they saw me working every day. And then, recruiting students for Chapman University – a lot of them I meet here.

They knew that I was losing money, that I was putting my savings into it. It was costing me close to $5,000 a month. It hurt me to write a check. Sometimes I had to move moneys around, scrounge around. They saw me. Actually it was the dean, Don Cardinal; he came up with the idea. "What do you think if you and the bookstore partnered with Chapman University?" I said that would be fantastic, And he said, "Let me dig into it. Let me look around." So after about a year and a half, Don made a presentation to the board of directors of Chapman. And they all supported it.

How tough did it get?

I haven't made a nickel in this store in the last three years.

A lot of publishers think, 'How does Martinez do it?' And what it is is never giving up, believing in what you're doing ... The struggles took up too big a challenge. But I always paid my rent.

It would be really hard for me to close. The store has been so good to me and to my customers and to my friends. Everybody is always giving me advice – to close, because you're losing money. "Look at yourself, man. You look tired. Beat up. You're spending your savings."

Business was coming down. I had a nice apartment, and I put everything in storage. And in 2003, I went to live in the Main Street store, because I didn't want to lose the store. Nobody knew. And I didn't care.

It was always rough. Even when we had our good days, when we had our author signings. You'd have Jorge Ramos; you'd sell 200 or 300 books. It pays the rent, pays expenses, and then before you know it, there's more bills. I was running short. I knew the store was not generating the income that it should to pay all the expenses, so I sacrificed. I had a kitchen. I had a stove, a refrigerator. I had everything a house should have. I then had a shower in there and two bathrooms. What more could you want? I sacrificed, and I stayed there, because I wanted the store. I lived there for about a year. Then the MacArthur came (a 2004 $500,000 "genius grant" from the MacArthur Foundation).

Related Links

Rueben Martinez poses with his likeness, which takes his place when he's unable to attend an event. His Librería Martínez Books and Art Gallery in Santa Ana is becoming Librería Martínez de Chapman University, a nonprofit bookstore and educational center focused on learning and literacy, the university announced. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A likeness of artist Frida Kahlo and other works of art grace Librería Martínez Books and Art Gallery, founded by Rueben Martinez. "National Geographic was my ticket out of the copper mine," says Martinez, whose parents were miners. The Santa Ana store will become Librería Martínez de Chapman University, a nonprofit bookstore and educational center focused on learning and literacy. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Rueben Martinez, founder of Librería Martínez Books and Art Gallery, passionately tells a story about his actor friend Anthony Quinn. As a boy, the Chapman University Presidential Fellow used to read voraciously in the outhouse of his family home. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Rueben Martinez, a former barber, says, "My chair is like my books. It is my life." Chapman University approached him about a partnership, and now his Librería Martínez Books and Art Gallery is becoming Librería Martínez de Chapman University, a nonprofit bookstore and educational center focused on learning and literacy. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Rueben Martinez says he didn't made a nickel in Librería Martínez Books and Art Gallery in Santa Ana store in the last three years. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Rueben Martinez is optimistic about the future of Librería Martínez de Chapman University, a nonprofit bookstore and educational center. His business was struggling. Martinez envisions more people, readings, lectures, student classes and professors providing education to students and more through this new partnership. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Rueben Martinez, 72, holds a book that sits on a 105-year-old barber chair. The former barber holds a book on barbering that's as old as he is. Now the self-described "diva" barber jokes that he has to pay people to cut their hair. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Rueben Martinez, founder of Librería Martínez Books and Art Gallery, stands in an adjacent classroom, complete with a kitchen. Here he anticipates parents will listen to financial aid experts and admissions staff, discuss their children's future, learn how to apply for grants or universities and more. “A book is dead until you open it up,” Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes told him. “And then it comes alive.” CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Rueben Martinez is excited about the future. In this classroom, English for adults and computer classes will be offered along with Spanish classes. Southern California Edison is going to donate some laptops, according to Martinez. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The new Librería Martínez de Chapman University will be selling apparel, newspapers, magazines and have bestselling authors visit, according to Rueben Martinez. He's a voracious reader of books and newspapers, and has a collection of National Geographic magazines that goes back to the 1920s. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Librería Martínez Books and Art Gallery will become Librería Martínez de Chapman University, and Rueben Martinez keeps it vibrant and welcoming. Latino art and accolades for Martinez line the walls of the Santa Ana shop. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Reuben Martinez, 72, opened his first Santa Ana shop in 1975, across the street from this current location at 216 N. Broadway. The Chapman University Presidential Fellow has three children, five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Rueben Martinez is passionate about books and the future of Librería Martínez de Chapman University, a nonprofit bookstore and educational center in Santa Ana. His accolades line all three wall from top to bottom. “I like books that smell like paper, wood, like lumber, like a tree, man. Books were my life growing up. And books will be my life forever.” CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.